A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to latches and more particularly to one-piece, slam-type latches for snap-in installation in a pivotal door.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Those concerned with maintaining a door panel, especially a hinged door panel in a closed position frequently use slam-type, snap-in type latches because of their ease in installation and operation. One such latch is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,850,464 to Bisbing et al. The latch described therein operates by spring-biased sliding action to engage the door frame or striker plate. In one form of this type of latch, the spring-bias action is provided by the resilience of the plastic material of which the latch is made. The latch may be inserted through a relatively large orifice in the door panel. To release the latch from the striker plate or door frame, pressure is applied to the latch to slide the latch from one end of the relatively large orifice to the other to an unlatched position. One disadvantage of the latch described in the Bisbing et al. reference is that a relatively large orifice is required for insertion of the latch through the door. This is undesirable in instances in which explosive forces may be created in the area enclosed by the door, for example, in an electric fuse box or panelboard. Under such circumstances, a relatively large orifice in the door is undesirable because it allows explosive forces to act on a major portion of the latch, and may undesirably cause the latch to move from the closed to the open position when such explosive forces are present.